1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to compositions and methods for the treatment of cancer with enzymes that deplete L-Arginine in serum. In some embodiments, the cancer is one that does not express, or is otherwise deficient in, argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS), ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC), or other enzymes required for arginine biosynthesis.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has been recognized for over 50 years that certain tumor cells have a high demand for amino acids, such as L-Arginine and are killed under conditions of L-Arginine depletion (Wheatley and Campbell, 2002). In human cells L-Arginine is synthesized in two steps; first argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS) converts L-Citrulline and aspartate to argininosuccinate, followed by conversion of argininosuccinate to L-Arginine and fumarate by argininosuccinate lyase. L-Citrulline itself is synthesized from L-Ornithine and carbamoyl phosphate by the enzyme ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC). A large number of hepatocellular carcinomas, melanomas and, as discovered recently, renal cell carcinomas (Ensor et al., 2002; Feun et al., 2007; Yoon et al., 2007) do not express ASS and thus are sensitive to L-Arginine depletion. The molecular basis for the lack of ASS expression appears to be diverse and includes aberrant gene regulation and splicing defects. Whereas non-malignant cells enter into quiescence (G0) when depleted of L-Arginine and thus remain viable for several weeks, tumor cells have cell cycle defects that lead to the re-initiation of DNA synthesis even though protein synthesis is inhibited, in turn resulting in major imbalances and rapid cell death (Shen et al., 2006; Scott et al., 2000). The selective toxicity of L-Arginine depletion for HCC, melanoma and other ASS-deficient cancer cells has been extensively demonstrated in vitro, in xenograft animal models and in clinical trials (Ensor et al., 2002; Feun et al., 2007; Shen et al., 2006; Izzo et al., 2004). Recently Cheng et al. (2007) demonstrated that many HCC cells are also deficient in ornithine transcarbamylase expression and thus, they are also susceptible to enzymatic L-Arginine depletion.
There is interest in the use of L-Arginine hydrolytic enzymes for cancer therapy, especially the treatment of hepatocarcinomas, melanomas and renal cell carcinomas, which are common forms of cancer associated with high morbidity. Two L-Arginine degrading enzymes have been used for cancer therapy: bacterial arginine deiminase and human Arginases. Unfortunately, both of these enzymes display significant shortcomings that present major impediments to clinical use (immunogenicity and low catalytic catalytic activity and very poor stability in serum, respectively). Thus, the therapeutic success of L-Arginine depletion therapy will rely on addressing these shortcomings.